Bio: Miranda Mestas Vatterott, LCSW- Our Lady of the Lake University
Miranda Mestas Vatterott, LCSW, a third-year PhD student at Our Lady of the Lake University, received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Santa Clara University and her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. She has experience supporting new parents and families in various roles since 2013 as a birth and postpartum doula, patient advocate, yoga instructor, childbirth educator, and parent coach. She is a psychotherapist in a private practice in Los Angeles, focusing on supporting new parents and families. Her research interests include perinatal mental health, cultural postpartum practices, and perinatal health care.
Abstract
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are public health issues with consequences for birthing people, infants, and their families. Despite awareness of evidence-based treatment options, dominant frameworks often overlook the relational, cultural, and social dimensions of perinatal mental health. This conceptual paper argues for an integrated application of attachment and feminist theories to PMAD treatment and research among social workers. Attachment theory provides insight into the early relational foundations of mental health. It highlights the importance of secure relationships between the caregiver and child as well as social worker and client. However, its history of emphasis on the mother-infant dyad and focus on Eurocentric norms can limit its application. Feminist theory serves as a counterbalance by challenging gendered and cultured power dynamics, societal ideas of motherhood, and structural inequities that shape perinatal experiences. Together, these theories create a more holistic framework for addressing PMADs, the role of social workers that centralizes both interpersonal attachment and sociocultural context. This paper emphasizes the unique role of social workers in implementing this integrated approach. The integration of feminist and attachment theories offers a path toward more inclusive and empathetic care for birthing individuals and their families.
Keywords: perinatal mental health, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, social work, attachment theory, feminist theory
The Call to Integrate Feminism and Attachment Theory in Perinatal Mental Health Social Work Practice
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